


start of something new.

by melbopo



Series: sh wlw fic bingo [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - After College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Getting to Know Each Other, It's Karaoke Night and we're both embarrassing ourselves, Meet-Cute, New Year's Eve, Not Beta Read, Post-college meet cute, Shadowhunters WLW Bingo, We’re the only two single ppl at a new year’s party and look it’s almost midnight, alcohol mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 04:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melbopo/pseuds/melbopo
Summary: A cute stranger saves Aline from performing karaoke by herself at the annual Institute alumni New Year's Eve party. Before they disappear back into the crowd, she thinks to herself that thisreallycould be the start of something new.~~~~~for team red's wlw bingo - post college meet cute + we're the only two single ppl at a new year's party and look it's almost midnight + it's karaoke night and we're both embarrassing ourselves (repeat)





	start of something new.

**Author's Note:**

> this is my last shadowhunters wlw fic for the bingo!!! wow!!! i can't believe i did this!! i can't believe we did this!!! this is amazing!!! i wrote so much in such a little amount of time and it was all wlw content and im JAZZED!! i can't wait to read all the amazing new content created the past couple of weeks - i'm proud of all that contributed and i hope you are too!!
> 
> forever grateful to rike for this lovely opportunity to push myself!!
> 
> this fic is mostly fun and cute and ridic - i churned it out in like just over 24 hours so I hope the playfulness makes up for any bad grammar/characterization!!
> 
> also background relationships mentioned: malec (obvi), clizzy, melace (jace x meliorn - do they even have a ship name?), saia

Perhaps she was sitting too close to the front. Perhaps she looked too excited about the event at hand. Perhaps she was naive in her trust of her friends. Perhaps she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps this is just years delayed retribution for pushing Jace into the lake when he tried to kiss her that one time when they were in middle school.

Well, that last scenario would only be applicable if it was Jace, not Isabelle, whom thrust the microphone into Aline’s hand and shoved her forward into the spotlight. 

Whatever the rationale is, Aline is displeased to be at the front of a crowd, about to perform karaoke. 

"Don't worry! I picked a classic." Isabelle calls reassuringly off stage. Not that Aline is reassured in the slightest.

"It doesn't matter if I can't sing!" Aline angrily whispers back, into the mic and alerting everyone to her real dilemma.

She’ll still give it the Penhallow best of course. They don’t back down nor half attempt _ anything _. And she can’t start now, it’d embarrass her mom if she walked off stage, especially with an audience. It doesn’t matter that she’s twenty four years old and lives on her own these days.

Living on one's own doesn't mean one's mom suddenly stops being important to them, okay? Plus, her mom always talks so highly about their private school community and how much they support each other even after graduation. Her parents practically help plan this annual Institute Alumni New Year's Eve party even though it is hosted by the Lightwoods. They don't even like planning any other holiday event at their _own_ house; that's how much this community means to them.

Also, this community has always been weirdly obsessed with karaoke. It’s at every event they host, major and non. Aline should have foreseen this as a possibility.

The music starts playing and words appear on the screen in front of her. She recognizes the song immediately, rolling her eyes at the choice. Of course.

When Isabelle said classic, she meant _ cliche_. They used to belt this whole soundtrack together in the months that followed the movie release. Aline can't say she is surprised by the choice. She _ is _ hopeful that it’s so classic everyone will join in, taking the emphasis off her poor singing skills.

It's a crowd pleaser for their generation which she recognizes is probably why Isabelle picked it. Aline was just complaining about how hard it is to make friends and connect with people after college. She can definitely see this as Isabelle's little reminder that it _is_ possible.

Even if it is absolutely ridiculous, especially because Aline can't sing. There must be easier and less humiliating ways.

Feedback from a mic causes everyone to cringe in pain. Aline moves the mic away from herself, assuming it was her fault, but a second voice surprises her.

"Sorry!"

She looks over at the new voice next to her on stage with their own mic. Oh. They are... very cute. Their straight straw blonde hair falls past their shoulders, even with half pulled back. There is an embarrassed light blush on their creamy light skin that accents their adorable round cheeks. They smile sweetly at Aline and all she can wonder is if they are part fae.

"What?" The word comes out accusatory when she really just wants to know who this adorable stranger is and why they are also sacrificing whatever dignity they have to be on stage with her during karaoke. This is so not the activity she would use to woo a potential partner. Nope, not at all.

"It's a duet!" Their voice is light, making the answer seem like an obvious one.

"But I can't sing." 

They shrug nonchalantly, clearly not understanding what Aline is trying to get at. They probably thought it was a volunteer oneself situation instead of the forced crowd participation one that Aline was about to make it. Looks like karaoke embarrassment in front of someone cute is happening now. Great.

"I can't either." They wink playfully and Aline tries her damndest to not blush in front of so many pairs of eyes.

She is pretty positive she fails.

The stranger steps forward as the words become highlighted on the screen. They begin to belt out the lyrics with as much confidence as anyone that grew up with this soundtrack should. 

"_Living in my own world_  
_Didn't understand_  
_That anything can happen,  
__When you take a chance_"

Their pitch isn't great but their confidence and dramatics more than make up for it. The whole crowd cheers when they realize exactly which song it is. Aline can't stop her own smile from appearing at this display.

She steps forward, matching their dramatics easily. She holds the mic in one hand, swinging the other one out to the crowd like a shakespearean actor.

"_I never believed in_  
_What I couldn't see_  
_I never opened my heart_  
_to all the possibilities_"

Aline can see the smile growing on her partner's face and she knows she's responsible for that. The butterflies in her stomach flutter recklessly.

"_I know_."

"_That something has changed."_

They turn to her with wide gestures as they begin to sing (more like yell) with her the chorus forever immortalized by their generation.

"_Never felt this way_."

"_And right here, tonight_."

"_This could be the start of something new_  
_It feels so right to be here with you_  
_And now looking in your eyes_  
_I fee-_"

"Hey that's my line!" Aline whispers with faux outrage. The stranger laughs before turning back to the screen.

"My turn - _feel in my heart!_"

"_The start of something new!_" 

They continue to sing back and forth, continuing to mess up some of the lyrics and some of their solos. The audience joins in for the most of it. By the end, everyone is scream singing the chorus with endless joy.

Aline feels it herself, finding herself chuckling along with them. She shares a smile with her partner, feeling endlessly grateful they joined her onstage and saved her from potentially ruining even that crowd pleasing song.

When the music trails off, they both take their bows, big arms and low heads that mimic the over the top fashion of their whole performance. 

Meliorn, the unofficial MC of the night ("You can't have karaoke with no host unless you want complete and utter mayhem.") hops on stage. They put their arm around Aline and speak into her mic.

"Thank you for such a delightful duet - I think y'all were even better than Troy and Gabriella!"

The crowd hollers their agreeance to which Aline bows again to show her gratitude. 

"Alright, now who is next or does Isabelle have another nomination?" The last part is definitely a jab at Isabelle's clear betrayal of Meliorn's rules but she shrugs it off with a smile, knowing they're not actually mad.

Aline hands the mic to Meliorn and ducks under their arm, heading off stage. She looks back over her shoulder to see where the stranger is so she can thank them for saving her up there and maybe even get their name.

They're no longer on stage and she can't see very far into the crowd because of the spotlights. She frowns, trying not to feel overwhelmed with disappointment that she lost the cute stranger as soon as she found them. She rations with herself that there is less than a hundred people at this New Year's party. She's bound to run into them before the night is over. Well until her father decides they've stay late enough to be socially acceptable but can still avoid the majority of traffic and bad drivers.

As she approaches her friend group, they cheer so loudly she rolls her eyes. She loves them, karaoke forcing and all. Has loved them since Clary punched out the asshole who made a joke about lesbians during lunch in fifth grade and Isabelle invited Aline to their table to eat.

Aline wasn’t even out at that time, wasn’t even aware being a lesbian was an option she had, but she never forgot the total lack of hesitation from Clary in standing up for what she believed in. She's still exactly like that. It’s both admirable and scary. Isabelle shares some of those same qualities, just in a less physically abrasive manner. It probably explains why they’re such a good and disgustingly cute couple.

"Told you there was nothing to worry about!” Isabelle grins big, as if she orchestrated the whole thing herself.

“Iz, we all know her partner stole the show away.” Jace adds in.

“So?” Clary pulls Isabelle’s leg closer from where she’s sprawled on top of Clary in the same couch seat. Her cheek is kissed in the middle of her rebuttal by Isabelle as a thank you. See? Disgustingly cute. “It still worked out - Isabelle just didn’t predict someone cute would save the day.”

“It’s semantics - the influence was an outside variable.” Jace mumbles, mostly to himself. “Meliorn will understand.”

“People other than your boyfriend understand, you goof.” Maia rolls their eyes. “But who was that cutie? Are they single?” They look at Aline and raise their eyebrows suggestively.

“Cute? Single? Looking to _ start something new _ with your duet partner Aline?” Simon interjects himself into the conversation as he joins them, passing a cocktail to where his significant boo sits. Maia blows him a kiss for bringing them a drink.

Aline shakes her head at her friends’ antics. They’re always trying to weigh in on her lack of a love life.

“Not currently.” She debates for a moment sharing her disappointment about how they disappeared the moment the song was over. But she decides against it, she doesn’t really want to delve too deep into it with her coupled up friends. “Right now, I’m just looking for a drink.”

“Smart - open bar only lasts until midnight so you have fifteen minutes!” Isabelle calls as Aline retreats to the other side of the room.

Great. Fifteen minutes until midnight on another New Year’s party spent single. All her friends are happily partnered up and yet she still isn’t. She can’t even keep a karaoke partner around long enough to learn their name, never mind if they’re single and interested in women.

Perhaps sharing laughter and music with the stranger had instilled more romantic hope in her than she realized.

She shakes her head, trying to physically rid herself of the negativity that is starting to settle in her. That is not how she wants to start the new year. This is going to be her year, she just needs to remember that to manifest it or some shit.

She gets a drink from the bartender but finds herself not wanting to return to her friends just yet. She loves them but she rather not be around them as they all happily kiss their significant others when the clock strikes midnight. She’s pretty sure she already saw Alec and Magnus celebrating in the corner and her mood is too melancholy for such sickenly sweet displays of affection. 

There is a quiet balcony that calls to her. It’s on the other side of where the televisions and ball drop will be, so it should be fairly quiet. She can ring in the new year there on her own and then join everyone else again. An ice sculpture in the shape of their private school logo stands between her and the solitude. It’s so unnecessary but another staple, along with karaoke, of their functions, as if they need a reminder of the place that brought them all together.

“I dare you to lick it.”

Aline isn’t proud to admit it but she startles, jumping to the side, at voice that interrupts her thoughts. Her drink sloshes over her hand.

“Shit! Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Hold on, let me help.”

Aline raises an annoyed eyebrow to her startler as they attempt to pat down her hand with cocktail napkins that do not absorb well. Her expression quickly thaws when she realizes just who it is: _ the _ stranger.

They mutter to themselves as they keep attempting to dry Aline’s hand, cheeks burning bright red. “I’ve terrorized you twice tonight and I don’t even know your name, no wonder I’m single.”

She huffs a laugh, feeling a little lighter at their unintended confession. “We can change that. I’m Aline, she/her.”

They lift their head quickly to look at her. Their smile is bright and wide. Aline’s stomach flutters again at being the intended recipient of such a look; she smiles back. 

“Helen, she/her.” Helen pulls her hands back, putting the used napkins on the empty tray near the sculpture. Aline’s hands are mostly dry, if not still slightly sticky. She enjoyed the casual touch just the same.

“I’m happy to officially meet the person that’s set out to terrorize me all evening.” Aline’s voice is playful but she winks to be obvious that she’s joking. Helen laughs, throwing her head back with the action. “Did you go also go to the Institute?” 

She shakes her head. “No, Meliorn’s my best friend from high school. I just moved to New York City for a new job a couple of months ago and they were kind enough to invite me to their boyfriend’s family’s New Year’s Eve party.”

“Okay that makes sense as to why I don’t recognize your face from school - I thought you might be someone’s partner or something. I went to middle and high school with Jace and the rest of the Lightwoods.”

“Oh no, though everyone does seem to be taken tonight.”

Aline lets out an awkward laugh. “Yeah, I think we’re the only single people at this New Year’s Eve party.”

“You’re probably right.” Helen looks thoughtful for a moment before swiftly changing the subject. “So you’re a…” She gestures with her hand towards the ice sculpture next to them. Her eyebrows pull in close in concentration as if she is searching in vain for the right word.

“Shadowhunter?” Aline suggests with a grin.

“Yes! That!” Helen smiles. “All I could remember was Meliorn referring to Jace’s schooling as a soldier boot camp for youths.”

Aline laughs at the comparison; it’s not the first time one of that ilk has been made. “I can see how an outsider would think that. We had strict schedules and weapons training as our physical activity component.”

“Really? What was your weapon of choice?”

“Twin blades.” Helen’s eyes go wide with interest making Aline laugh again. “It’s clichely gay, I know.”

Helen’s expression lights up with more excitement, as if she just realized something. “Is it sword lesbians and twin blades bisexuals then?”

“Hmmm you’re right - I should have trained more with swords to stay on my lesbian brand.”

They both laugh at the joke. There is no doubt in Aline’s mind that Helen is also part of the queer community. 

“So what’s your new job that brought you to New York City?”

“An environmental engineering firm looking for a water chemist. I got my degree in chemistry to be practical but music is my passion. I needed to live somewhere filled with musical opportunities, maybe even do small performances on the side.” Helen shrugs as if that says it all about her. Aline gets it and maybe her heart flutters a little stronger. “What about you? Are you still in school?”

“I graduated a couple of years ago from Columbia. I studied political science and stats so now I’m working for a grassroots org that helps local, progressive candidates with their campaigns and funding.”

“That sounds interesting. Do you want to run yourself one day?”

“Maybe. My mom is the rep for my county but I haven’t decided yet. I enjoy the background work currently but it could change. Maybe one day I’ll want the spotlight.” The moment Aline says the word spotlight, things click in her mind. “Wait, you perform? You said you can’t sing! Which you proved.”

Helen blushes, looking away and breaking eye contact. She looks shy and very, _ very _cute. “I may have lied and pretended I couldn’t sing.”

“What? Why would you do that? You should’ve stolen the whole show.”

“I wanted to make you feel comfortable? Maybe even smile too?” She glances up now, her expression is timid and smile unsure. Aline feels her body relaxing into the affection she feels; it feels so good. A soft smile appears on her lips. Helen perks up immediately at the sight, more confident now. “I couldn’t leave such a beautiful person alone onstage to sing the duet of our generation.”

Aline looks down at the ground, biting her bottom lip to keep her joyous smile under wraps for it feels too soon to feel this happy and light over someone she just met. Helen is reigniting all these old feelings and flames inside of Aline’s chest; she forgot how sweet falling for someone can be. She never realized how quickly it could happen either.

“TEN! NINE! EIGHT!” Voices from the party yell collectively as the ball begins to drop, signalling the rapidly approaching new year.

“Can I kiss you Aline?” Helen whispers from so close that Aline can practically feel the words on her skin.

She looks up with wide eyes, surprised that Helen seems to share at least some fraction of what Aline is feeling. She holds her breath for a moment, grounding herself on how real this is as she stares into Helen’s sparkling brown eyes. They look genuinely hopeful with a spark of something more that pulls Aline in even deeper. It feels beautiful and amazing.

“Yes.”

“TWO! ONE! HAPPY NEW-”

Warm lips press firmly against hers and when Helen touches her jaw to steady their kiss, Aline feels it all the way in her toes. She kisses back just as strong, chasing the taste of Helen's smile.

They pull apart and she slowly flutters her eyes open, not wanting to wake up from this dreamlike feeling.

“Happy New Year Aline.” Helen whispers against Aline’s lips.

She whispers back. “Happy New Year Helen.” 

They stand back, Helen’s hand falls away. They have matching big grins on their lips, looking like fools and not caring in the slightest. 

“Thanks for saving me onstage tonight. I was sad when you suddenly disappeared from the stage but I’m glad you found me again.”

“Meliorn was giving me a look for my bad singing and I was nervous they were going to call me out so I fled like a-.”

The voice of Aline’s mom interrupts Helen. “Has anyone seen Aline?! The BQE already has an accident so we need to get going _ now _if we want to be home before 3 am. Aline? Aline!” 

“Shit. That’s my mom _and _ my ride.” Aline hesitates, feeling like she’s fleeing from something new and good herself. “I’m sorry, I have to go now. We live in Queens.”

Helen doesn’t look annoyed at all. “I understand - I’m staying over Meliorn’s tonight since they live close or else I’d probably be leaving right about now too. I’m in Bed-Stuy.”

“Oh that’s not too far from where I live.” Aline grins, hope blooming in her chest.

Aline’s mom’s voice sounds even closer. “Aline! We are leaving! Aline!”

Aline curses the event's agreement to not have cellphones present. It’s supposed to force them to step away from work and social media, to just focus on the now with few allowed emergency phones. It’s a nice idea but at this moment it’s a hinderance. She can’t even exchange numbers with someone that makes her feel like _this_.

“I’d like to see you again but I don’t have my phone on me.”

Helen grins. “It’s okay. I’ve seen High School Musical - I know how this goes.”

“But we’re not in high school?” Aline smiles through her confusion, it’s too endearing and hopeful of a comment to not smile at. Aline’s mom calls her name again, bordering on aggravated now. Helen kisses Aline’s cheek before nodding, gesturing it’s okay for her to go.

Then in a high, melodical and smooth pitch, Helen sings.

“_It feels so right to be here with you_  
_And now, looking in your eyes  
__ I feel in my heart the start of something new _”

**Author's Note:**

> helen asks jace for aline's number and by the time she's home in her bed, they have already secured a hsm marathon date for the following weekend.  
~~~
> 
> thanks for supporting me and queer writers and wlw works!!!! it means a lot!! love to know your feels about any and all things queer in the comments or on the tweetsss
> 
> u r welcome for the hsm references and thanks again!


End file.
